Swathy and Sky

What should you know about sunscreens?

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Referring to my earlier post on Sunscreen for anti-aging skin care, I would like to add my recent personal experiences. In the above-mentioned post, I have talked about the physical sunscreen to be better than chemical sunscreen because of the various harmful chemicals present in them.There was a bit of information I forgot to include. The chemicals present in the sunscreens (chemical or even micronized and nanonized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, for that matter) get absorbed by our skin and they form deposits in our body and produce free radicals which accelerate aging in the body. So, contrary to the popular belief, sunscreens do not prevent aging. But, they do protect you from harmful sun rays which can cause your skin to become dark and develop dark spots or patches and even, skin cancer.
Speaking of the protection from sun, I have till now tried some 3-4 herbal, physical or natural sunscreens and believe me, they did not provide proper protection against sun. So, I had to ultimately switch back to chemical sunscreens. And, for the time being, I am quite contended with these sunscreens because they do take care of my skin very well. And, regarding the free radical generation within the body, I am taking care of it through my nutritional needs. Drinking green tea, eating lots of fruits (specially rich in Vitamin C) provide lot of anti-oxidants which can fight against the free radicals. So, I would advise you to take care of your skin problems inside and out. And, sometimes, being natural is not an option. Before I forget, I’ll repeat it here again: eat lots of tomatoes and spinach (all green leafy vegetables) to increase your skin resistance to sun’s rays. 
A note at the end: I have tried both over-the-counter products available at the stores and prescription-based products and have found dermatologist prescribed sunscreens are much effective. So, I would advise you all to go for a visit to a good dermatologist and get yourself a good sunscreen. Please choose your dermatologist very carefully.

Rice Water for Skin, Hair and Health

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The craze of using rice water is catching up very fast. If you have not yet heard of it, rice water is highly beneficial for certain health issues and also in taking care of the skin and hair. Let us first see the health benefits:

  • instantly energizes the body due to the high concentration of carbohydrates
  • provides instant relief from diarrhea
  • has been used successfully to treat gastroenteritis
  • prevents cancer
  • controls high blood pressure
  • helps in preventing Alzheimer’s disease
  • reduces the body temperature or internal heat of the body
  • prevents constipation
In short, I would say it provides all the health benefits that eating rice would provide. But, more than that, rice water has been used as a face wash and a hair wash.
  • Washing your face with rice water makes your skin very soft and it also helps in improving the complexion
  • Is a great substitute for toner and firms up your skin
  • Helps in reducing the size of the pores on your skin
  • Washing your hair with rice water brings shine in the hair and helps to keep it healthy. Follow up with cold water rinse.
  • Use rice water as part of your face, body and hair masks and scrubs
  • Use rice water for having bath or pour rice water in the tub or bucket
  • Powdered rice grains are also used as body scrub and they make your skin extra soft
How to make rice water?
I have read at many places that the water used to wash rice prior to cooking is rice water. But, that is not the actual rice water. You may collect it but it will not give you the full benefits. Instead, you should boil the rice in more water than usual quantity you use so that the rice does not absorb all the water and strain the extra water. This water is the actual rice water which is full of nutritional benefits. You may drink it or let it cool to use as a face wash or a hair wash. You may even garnish it with various spices and herbs. Read this article for step by step instruction on how to cook rice water.
Watch the video to learn how you can use rice water in various ways. But, make sure you cook the rice water the proper way.

Teeth Grinding: Are you or your child suffering from this habit?

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This is a little out of my way topic. But, I am used to teeth grinding sometimes. And, it increases so much sometimes that I think I’m going to break or chip my teeth. I know that this is a very common symptom which has many causes like Stress, not enough sleep, personality adjustment problems, due to certain medications or even due to an inception of a certain disease. Teeth Grinding is more of a common habit among children and teens and is more intense during night while they are asleep. You should never ignore this trait in your children or you as it can be a symptom for something more serious.
There is one more aspect to teeth grinding which is not often talked about. You or your kid may be having worms in your stomach. The parasites enter the body through different means like food, water, air and stay in the intestines and feed on the food you eat and grow. Sometimes, they can reach to alarming lengths and can be excreted through the feces of the infected person. If you have just begun to grind your teeth, it can be simply cured with a de-worming medication which you can take on the advice of your doctor. Generally, the prescription is two tablets: one at a time and the other tablet to be followed after a week of the first medication. And, if you have worms excreting out of you, you should immediately visit the doctor. In case the teeth grinding does not stop, you should consult a doctor for a thorough check up.